 We are well into March but that's not stopping ice fishing tournaments from happening around the Brainerd Lakes area. Clayton Castle shows us a group of women that are breaking the stereotype around fishing through a new tournament. The ice was thick and the fish were biting on Saturday on Gall Lake for the All-Women Ice Fishing Tournament put on by the Women Anglers of Minnesota. Organizers say the tournament is the first of its kind and aims to show that fishing is not just for men. We're seeing a lot of women that love to go fishing and it's not just a guy sport anymore. You know women are getting out there and we're giving them the opportunity you know to be competitive and come out and fish and we sold out so we started small with 150 people we had a wait list and obviously there's a need and a want for women to get out and participate. The women who participated in the tournament are avid anglers themselves no matter the season or month on the calendar. Well it's just it just extends the fishing in general summer fishing you know goes into winter fishing and then you realize oh I can drill a hole oh I can you know do the winter fishing just like summer fishing. Women Anglers of Minnesota is a group that devotes resources to growing interest in fishing not just for women but for youth as well and for many of the women this ice fishing tournament gives them an outlet to continue that passion. Just really falls into my passion for fishing and not just women fishing but the next generation bringing up the kids to be excited about fishing and just wildlife conservation. And the best part of the weekend for the women on Gull Lake the fish were biting. Just pulled in a walleye which is the biggest fish we've caught today and the best fish we've just been catching perch but any fish is fun. Organizers say that you can expect a second annual all women ice fishing tournament sometime in 2019 reporting from Gull Lake Clayton Castle Lakeland News. Women anglers of Minnesota began 41 years ago after seeing significant interest from women in fishing. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.